Nature Conservation Research. Заповедная наука 2020. 5(4): 78–88 https://dx.doi.org/10.24189/ncr.2020.061 THREATENED LYCOPHYTES AND FERNS IN FOUR PROTECTED AREAS OF MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES Fulgent P. Coritico*, Victor B. Amoroso Central Mindanao University, Philippines *e-mail: [email protected] Received: 15.04.2020. Revised: 31.07.2020. Accepted: 04.10.2020. There are nearly a thousand threatened species of vascular plants in the Philippines and of which about 12% are lycophytes and ferns. However, there are not enough data on the distribution of the species. Thus, the threatened lycophytes and ferns were determined based on field surveys in four protected areas in Mindanao, namely Mt. Apo Natural Park, Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park, Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park, and Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary. The conservation status assessment was based on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources DAO 2017-11 updated list of threatened plants of the Philippines. A total of 45 species of threatened lycophytes and ferns was documented belonging to 16 families and 25 genera. Of these, three species are Critically Endangered, 23 Endangered, 15 Vulnerable, and three are other threatened species. Families with the highest number of threatened species are Cyatheaceae, Polypodiaceae, Lycopodiaceae, Ophioglossaceae, and Psilotaceae. The Critically Endangered species are Platycerium coronarium, Phlegmariurus magnusianus, and Helminthostachys zeylanica. The threatened species endemic to the Philippines are Phlegmariurus magnusianus, Alsophila apoensis, A. atropurpurea, A. hermannii, A. fuliginosa, A. heterochlamydea, A. negrosiana, A. rufopannosa, Lindsaea hamiguitanensis, Tmesipteris zamorarum, Aglaomorpha cornucopia, and A. sagitta. The highest number of threatened taxa was observed in the Mt. Apo Natural Park (29 species), followed by the Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park (28 species), Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park (27 species), with the lowest number in the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (19 species). Most of the species were recorded in the lower and upper montane forests. The occurrence of threatened and endemic lycophytes and ferns in the four protected areas calls for a strict implementation of the ordinances necessary for a long term conservation and protection of the species. Key words: endangered species, endemism, conservation, mountain ecosystems, pteridophytes Introduction protected landscapes and seascapes, resource re- Pteridophytes include the so-called ferns and serves, wildlife sanctuaries, marine reserves, wa- fern allies, the latter so-called because of their tershed forest reserves, natural biotic areas, and shared life cycle as spore-dispersing vascular plants wilderness areas based on the National Integrated (Amoroso et al., 2016a,b). However, recent analyses Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992. of morphological and molecular data revealed that Mt. Apo Natural Park (MANP), Mt. Kitanglad pteridophytes are paraphyletic, and the boundary Range Natural Park (MKRNP), Mt. Malindang within them has been withdrawn to distinguish lyco- Range Natural Park (MMRNP) and Mt. Hamiguitan phytes and ferns (monilophytes) (Smith et al., 2006; Range Wildlife Sanctuary (MHRWS) are some PPG I, 2016). There are 11 916 estimated species of of the Protected Areas in Mindanao Island. These ferns and lycophytes throughout the world (PPG I, mountain ecosystems are also considered as ASEAN 2016). About 4500 species occur in Southeast Asia, Heritage Parks. Moreover, MHRWS was listed as a which is more than one third of the world diversity UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014. All of these (Moran, 2008; Ebihara et al., 2012). In the Philip- four Protected Areas are also Philippine Long-Term pines, there are 1100 species of lycophytes and ferns Ecological Research (LTER) sites (Kim et al., 2017) distributed among 154 genera and 34 families (Bar- and home to different endemic species of plants and celona, 2011–2020; Amoroso et al., 2016b) and ca. animals (Amoroso et al., 2009; Mohagan et al., 2015, 632 species (57%) are found on Mindanao Island 2018; Amoroso et al., 2015, 2018). Initial listing of (Amoroso et al., 2009). the plants in the area was provided by Amoroso et Mindanao Island is the second largest island al. (2006) in Mt. Malindang, Amoroso et al. (2009) in the Philippine archipelago and has an enormous in Mt. Hamiguitan, and Amoroso et al. (2011) in numbers of endangered, endemic and economical- Mt. Kitanglad. A list of the threatened plant species ly important species of flora and fauna. This island on Mindanao Island was provided by Lumista et al. has a total of 41 Protected Areas (PAs) classified as (2016) and Aribal & Buot (2009). Also, Fernando et national parks, natural parks, natural monuments, al. (2008) listed 202 species of ferns and lycophytes 78 Nature Conservation Research. Заповедная наука 2020. 5(4): 78–88 https://dx.doi.org/10.24189/ncr.2020.061 as nationally threatened in the Philippines. However, Bukidnon (124.916700° N, 5.083333° E), Mt. Ma- their list did not provide complete information about lindang Range Natural Park, Misamis Occidental the distributions of the species on Mindanao and they (123.600000° N, 8.283333° E), and Mt. Hami- followed the old assessment of the Department of En- guitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, Davao Oriental vironment and Natural Resources (DENR). (126.166700° N, 6.716666° E) (Fig. 1). Another field Thus, this paper provides a comprehensive and inventory was conducted by researchers from Central updated list of threatened lycophytes and ferns, species Mindanao University and the Botanical Research In- conservation assessment, their distribution through stitute of Texas from 2016 to 2019. These sites were field validation in the four selected Protected Areas selected because they are considered as Long Term on Mindanao, Philippines. This paper serves as basis Ecological Research (LTER) sites on Mindanao and for strict protection and conservation of the remaining also designated as ASEAN Heritage Parks. threatened endemic species of lycophytes and ferns in the four Protected Areas on Mindanao Island. Collection, processing, and identification of specimens Material and Methods A minimum of two fertile fronds of each spe- Species inventory cies was collected and processed using the wet Prior to the conduct of the field work, a gratu- method (Hodge, 1947). All herbarium specimens itous permit from the four Protected Areas on Min- were deposited at the Central Mindanao University danao was obtained from the DENR regional of- Herbarium (CMUH) and the California Academy of fices. An inventory of lycophytes and ferns was then Sciences (CAS). All the specimens were identified conducted by the authors from January 2014 to De- by the authors using monographs, e-floras and other cember 2015 through repeated transect walks from publications like Copeland (1958), the Flora Male- the foot of the mountain to the highest point in Mt. siana Series and digitised plant specimens available Apo Natural Park, North Cotabato (125.275000° N, in Global Plants on JSTOR (https://plants.jstor.org/). 7.260833° E), Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park, The classifications were based on PPG I (2016). Fig. 1. Location map showing the four selected Protected Areas on Mindanao, Southern Philippines. 79 Nature Conservation Research. Заповедная наука 2020. 5(4): 78–88 https://dx.doi.org/10.24189/ncr.2020.061 Assessment of the conservation status and Helminthostachys zeylanica (L.) Hook., and distribution and the other three species are threatened and The assessment of the conservation status of Mindanao Island endemics, Alsophila hermannii the species was based on the updated national list R.M.Tryon, A. rufopannosa (Christ) R.M.Tryon of threatened plants in the Philippines, following and Lindsaea hamiguitanensis Karger & the criteria for determination of threatened plant V.B.Amoroso. species and their categories of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR- Critically Endangered species DAO, 2017). The categories are as follows: Platycerium coronarium (König ex Müller) Desv. Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), Platycerium coronarium is a common, orna- Vulnerable (VU) and Other Threatened Species mental plant characterised by strongly dimorphic (OTS), which is equivalent to Near Threatened fronds with dichotomous nest leaves and pendu- of the International Union for Conservation of lous dichotomously branched fertile fronds (Fig. Nature (IUCN). This is the latest assessment on 2A). It is commonly sold in flower gardens in big the national list of threatened plants in the Phil- cities like Cagayan de Oro City and Davao City ippines made by the Philippine Plant Conserva- on Mindanao and Manila City on Luzon for a tion Committee (PPCC) organised by DENR. very expensive price. This species is considered The assessments of the conservation status of as Critically Endangered because of its limited the species in the country are updated every five distribution in the wild and over-collection as an years. Information from this list serves as the ba- ornamental plant. In this study, it was observed sis for national environmental policy for the Pro- only within the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife tected Area Management Board (PAMB) of the Sanctuary, Davao Oriental as an epiphyte on Protected Areas and Local Government Units Shorea polysperma Merr. and Tristaniopsis de- (LGUs) for strictly monitoring and protecting corticata (Merr.) Peter G.Wilson & J.T.Waterh. the endangered plant